in love could be a good thing. She had managed to lose a few pounds since becoming involved with
Dane.
“So tell me what’s bad about being in love when it is with a man like Dane?”
Bayleigh exhaled softly. “It’s complicated.”
Tasha laughed. “I’m sure you have time to figure it out.”
Bayleigh rolled her eyes, hating that her sister was right. All Tasha needed was something
else to gloat about. “He’s too damn charming.”
Tasha laughed again and this time other customers looked their way. Bayleigh gave them an
apologetic look before giving her sister a warning one. “This isn’t funny, Tasha.”
Her sister shook her head. “I beg to differ. With the men you have dated in the past I would
think you’d like charming.”
Bayleigh glared at her sister. “I’m being serious here, Tasha.”
Her sister shrugged. “So am I. What is so bad about Dane being charming?”
Bayleigh released a pent up breath. “Because it makes him persuasive, too persuasive. I end
up doing things I don’t want to do.”
Tasha eyebrows rose. “Are these things illegal?”
Bayleigh shook her head. “And you wonder why I didn’t want to talk to you about this.”
Tasha sighed. “I’m glad you think I sound ridiculous. Now, if I could get you to hear
yourself, because I’m trying hard to understand your reasoning right now.” Tasha leaned closer to
her. “You and Dane are a good couple. He cares about you. Yes, he may be charming, even
persuasive, but he isn’t a bastard who calls you names, puts you down, or tries to hold you back.”
Tasha grinned. “I’m even willing to bet he persuades you into doing things that in the end you like
doing and want to again several times.”
“This is about more than sex, Tasha,” Bayleigh growled.
Her sister gave her a confused look. “Who said I was talking about sex? Is that all the two of
you do together?”
Bayleigh opened her mouth to respond but quickly snapped it closed, partially in
embarrassment, partially because her sister had a point. She and Dane were good in bed together but
it was more than that. Dane was insistent upon it. He made every effort he could to spend time with
her out of bed. They even had plans for dinner and a movie tonight. She looked at her sister across
the table.
“No, it’s not.”
Tasha smiled. “I know. So again, I ask what is wrong with being in love with Dane?”
Bayleigh shook her head. “I feel like he’s pushing me toward something I’m not ready for.
He keeps talking about love.”
Tasha’s eyes widened. “Dane told you he loved you?”
Bayleigh almost laughed at her sister’s response. But nothing was funny about this situation.
Nothing at all. “No Tasha, but he would if I let him.”
“Then why won’t you let him?” Tasha asked.
“Because I have never been this scared in my life, Tasha. Not even when we broke the head
off the cat to mom’s antique table.”
Tasha laughed. “Now that is fear, but you have nothing to be afraid of with him. I know how
Dane treats you. You’re right. He does love you. He has to. What other man do you know would
stand on the sideline all this time? Be there for you in every way he could except for the way he
wanted to be?”
Bayleigh couldn’t find the words to respond but there was no need. Tasha continued
speaking. “Dane cares about you. I’m willing to say he loves you. Despite your hesitance you love
him too. Trying to keep him saying the words doesn’t make it any less true. You can’t ignore this
either. It wouldn’t be fair to him, nor would it be fair to you. Both of you deserve to be in love with
someone who makes you happy.”
Bayleigh stared at her sister while the words sunk in. When had her sister become so wise?
worried about trying to hold onto their friendship she was diminishing his attempts to show her so
much more.
So far, he had only shown her a relationship between them could work if she would let it.
Sure they might have a disagreement or two, but they would work through them the same way they
had in their friendship. Still she was deceiving herself if she thought she could down play her
feelings for him. Bayleigh loved spending time with him, loved talking to him, loved the way he
made her feel, and loved making love with him. It wasn’t sex, never had been even the first time.
She laughed aloud looking at her sister. “I love Dane.”
Tasha gave her an amused look. “And does it feel like the world is coming to an end?”
“No.” Bayleigh shook her head as a tear of happiness slipped from her eye. “It feels like it
just righted itself.”
“Good. I’ll get the waiter’s attention for our check and takeout containers.”
Bayleigh shook her head. “No. I want to finish our lunch. Dane and I have plans for later
tonight. Trust me, nothing will change before then.”
If anything she would be halfway out of her mind with anticipation. She couldn’t deny the
joy she felt. So joyous it was hard to sit through the rest of lunch with her sister. Bayleigh couldn’t
wait to see the look of his face when she told him those three words. When the server accepted their
payment she was almost beside herself.
Tasha laughed as she stood. “If I weren’t your sister I would be offended by this lunch, but
in light of your break through today I forgive you.”
Bayleigh gave her sister an apologetic look. “I’m sorry.”
“No need to be. You are in love.”
Bayleigh laughed before leading the way to the restaurant entrance. She couldn’t wait to see
Dane. Instantly, she regretted sitting toward the back of the restaurant, but she hadn’t know what
antics her sister would pull today. It felt like it was taking forever to get to the front. She and her
sister made their way through the maze of tables.
“You know Dane, I always hated that it didn’t work out between us.”
Bayleigh stopped dead in her tracks causing Tasha to run into the back of her.
“Dammit, Bayleigh, what’s wrong with you?”
Bayleigh stood there frozen, half hearing her sister’s grumble. Her eyes were on the man
who sat a few tables away in a booth with his ex-girlfriend, Marie. For a moment Bayleigh stood
there dazed. The scene before her didn’t make any sense. What was Dane doing here and with
another woman? Jealousy overtook her when she saw they were holding hands. Her heart sank.
Maybe she had misread his feelings or maybe he was giving up. She couldn’t blame him. The brick
wall she put up against him must have worked. Just at the time when she didn’t want it to.
Oh God, it hurt to see him sitting there with another woman.
A woman he had a prior relationship with. A woman who now sat telling Dane she wanted
him back. Wanted the relationship that Dane had been denied with her.
Tasha’s noise level rose catching the attention of the patrons nearby, including Dane’s. His
gaze turned to surprise when he spotted her. Her body was in motion before she took her next
breath. She darted through the rest of the tables.
“Bayleigh!”
Dane and Tasha’s voices combined as they called out to her. Bayleigh continued toward
the
door. All she had to do was make it to her car, then home. Needed to be by herself so she could
think, digest what she had just seen. She moved quickly, almost mowing down a patron entering
Ferre’s. Mumbling an apology she continued toward the parking lot, racing toward her car. The heat
made it even harder for her to breathe. Bayleigh heard Dane shout her name but she didn’t stop.
Where the hell was her car?
She stopped for a second to gather herself, her bearings. After a quick look around she
spotted her car two rows over. Bayleigh sprinted towards it fumbling for her keys as she did so.
Tasha was probably beside herself trying to figure out what was going on. She slid in her car then
started the ignition. Let Dane explain it. He had a better idea of what was going on because she
didn’t and right now she didn’t care.
* * * *
Dane watched Bayleigh drive out of the parking lot, trying to figure out what the hell just
happened.
“What the hell is going on, Dane?”
He turned to see Tasha standing there looking as perplexed as he felt. “I have no idea.”
“Is everything okay, Dane?”
Tasha turned at the sound of the new voice. Marie stood there watching with open curiosity.
Tasha turned to look at him. “Who is she?”
Dane was still half bewildered trying to comprehend what had just happened. “Tasha, meet
Marie. Marie, this is Tasha.”
Marie stuck her hand out but Tasha ignored it. “Again I ask who is she and why did Bayleigh
run off so distraught at the sight of you together?”
Dane sighed in frustration. He needed to go after Bayleigh and find out why she ran off like
she did. “Marie is my ex-girlfriend and I have no—”
“Your ex-girlfriend? You’re having lunch with your ex-girlfriend?”
Dane actually took a step back when Tasha moved closer to him. If the expression on her
face was anything to go by, he was in danger. He held his hands up. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
Tasha’s eyebrow’s rose impressively high. “Not what it looks like? Please tell me what it should
look like, Dane. Because from where I stand it looks like you are out cheating on my sister.”
Tasha took another step closer “Bayleigh may be the non-confrontational type but I’m not
and what I don’t get my father and brother will be happy to take care of.”
Marie rushed forward with her hand out. She dropped it at Tasha’s withering look. “I don’t
mean to interrupt, but as Dane said this isn’t what it looks like. I ran into Dane at the store across
the street and invited him to lunch. Just to catch up, nothing else. He’s told me about Bayleigh.”
Marie offered Tasha a kind smile. “Bayleigh is the only thing he had talked about for the last
hour.”
Marie chose that moment to hold up her left hand. Tasha’s eyes widened when she saw the
ring on it. Then they narrowed again.
“Married women have affairs,” Tasha said. She turned her heated gaze to Dane. “So do
boyfriends.”
Dane threw his hands up. “Give me a break Tasha. I love your sister. Why the hell would I
risk it?”
Dane had the pleasure of watching Tasha open her mouth, but no sound came out. When
the ability to speak came back to her is wasn’t pleasant.
“Damn, Dane. What the hell were you thinking?”
Dane’s mouth dropped open. “I didn’t do anything.”
Tasha closed her eyes and shook her head. He watched her mouth move but no sound came
out. Finally she stopped speaking and returned her gaze to his.
“I just said a prayer for you because you are going to need it.”
Dane had a sinking feeling she was right. Bayleigh was already skittish and the smallest thing
had her ready to bolt. He felt like he had just given her the excuse she needed even if it was a
misunderstanding. None of this was going like he planned. How could an innocent lunch with a
woman he had no interest in lead to this? He looked at Tasha with despair. “I didn’t do anything
wrong.”
Tasha’s eyes widened again. “Didn’t do anything wrong?” She laughed but it was void of
humor. “Dane, you have got to be kidding me. What would you think if you ran into Bayleigh
having lunch with an ex? A lunch arrangement you didn’t know about?”
Dane frowned. Tasha had a point but it was hard to admit it. However, Bayleigh should trust
him. He wasn’t like the other men she had been involved with in the past. Even on a bad day. Yet
he had to admit he would have been jealous. But Dane would have demanded an answer from her,
not run off.
Closing his eyes, he sighed. Bayleigh wouldn’t do that. She wasn’t confrontational. Never
had been. It seemed as though Tasha inherited al of the confrontational genes. Dane opened his
eyes to find both Tasha and Marie giving him sympathetic looks.
“How am I supposed to fix this?”
“Apologize,” Tasha replied.
“Grovel,” Marie responded simultaneously.
Dane groaned. “I have a feeling it will be both.”
Marie made a sound of sympathy. “I’m sorry, Dane. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.
I will talk to Bayleigh if—”
Tasha’s sharp bark of laughter cut her off. “I know my sister very well, Marie, enough to
know she won’t listen to anything you have to say. She might not even listen to Dane.”
He stood there in morose silence, while Marie gave him a quick hug, wishing him luck with
Bayleigh before walking away.
Tasha shook her head. “You have your work cut out for you this time.”
Dane growled in annoyance. “This isn’t fair, Tasha. This lunch didn’t mean anything to me. I
was just catching up with a friend.”
Tasha shot him a look of understanding. “I know, Dane. I also know you would never do
anything to intentionally hurt, Bayleigh. Because of that I know this won’t be easy to fix. However, I
will talk to her. Whether my sister is willing to admit it or not, she is the happiest she has ever been
with you.”
Dane sighed. “Where is a time machine when you need one?”
Tasha laughed. “Well wherever it is, you don’t get to use it this time.”
She looked down at her watch and grimaced. “Unfortunately I have to go. Jarvis’s sister has
a performance tonight. But I will check on Bayleigh as soon as it is over. She wouldn’t talk to me
right now anyway. She needs a little space.”
Dane nodded then embraced Tasha. She may need to give her sister space but he wouldn’t.
He needed to see Bayleigh immediately. Tasha turned to walk toward her car and he headed for his.
It was difficult to obey the speed limit while he drove to Bayleigh’s apartment.
Unfortunately, he had no idea where she would go so he was taking a chance but he didn’t care. He
needed to speak with her. When he pulled up to her apartment, her car was there. Dane raced up to
her door. He rang her doorbell with no answer. She was there. Why wasn’t she answering?
Dane pressed the doorbell again. Still no answer. He knocked on the door, then pounded.
When a neighbor stuck their head out, he stopped, giving them a contrite look, hoping they
wouldn’t call the police. Dane waited a few minutes trying to sort out his next move. Calling her cel
phone, he cursed when it went straight to voicemail. Hanging up called he
r home number. It rang
the customary amount of times before going to voicemail.
“Bayleigh, I know you are listening to this. Please pick up.”
He waited a second but she didn’t—not that he expected her to.
“Today was a big misunderstanding. It wasn’t what it looked like. I want to explain
everything.” Dane paused again. “Just call me when you get a chance Bayleigh…please.”
Dane hung up the phone waited a few moments and when the phone didn’t ring he got in
his car and drove away. He would catch her at work tomorrow. She couldn’t avoid him there.
Chapter Eleven
Bayleigh pushed the sushi around on her plate half paying attention to her friends. Almost a
week had passed since the disastrous lunch with Tasha. She still hadn’t recovered from what she had
seen. Bayleigh had called into work sick all week. Dane had called her phone several times, but she